We Already Lost One Parent
by 30Died
Summary: How I think the confrontation between Ted and the kids should have gone. Also includes a scene between Ted and Tracy in heaven. A sequel/prequel-thingy to my previous story, "Let's Try This Again, Uninterrupted." Intended to be heartwarming. Please review!


I mentioned in the AN for "Let's Try This Again, Uninterrupted"(feel free to check out/review that story after this one, and thank you to the ones that already have) that I didn't like how the kids confronted Ted. This is my attempt to show how I would've liked it.

* * *

We Already Lost One Parent

"And that, kids, is how I met your mother."

Penny looked up to her father, who had a sad smile on his face, and sat up straight. He had just finished his version of how he had met his wife, and their mother, Tracy, 17 years before. She looked over to her brother, who was mimicking her actions. Truth be told, she liked the story, and she loved hearing more about her mom, but by that point, it had gone on for hours, and they were pretty sore by then. And at some point, it had become so sad hearing him talk about their mother. Even after five long years, she still missed her very much, and she knew Luke felt the same way. She even caught him tearing up a few times.

"So… that's it?" She asked, curious to see if their long journey was finally over.

He nodded and smiled proudly. "That's it." He stopped smiling. "Penny, what's wrong?"

She looked her father, confused. "What do you mean, Dad?"

"You're crying, sweetheart."

Penny brought her hand up to her eye, and sure enough, she had been crying. She wasn't even sure when she had started, too. Probably when he had been talking about their wedding, not even five minutes before.

"Oh, ummm…" She said, trying to pretend like she didn't know why she started crying. "I guess because the story was just so beautiful!"

Her father gave her a soft look. "Sweetheart, please tell me what's really wrong?" He pleaded, worry for his daughter evident in his eyes.

She sighed. "It's just… throughout that story, you seemed so happy most of the time." She said. "I mean, there were some sad times, but you always found a way to bounce back."

Ted frowned slightly. "Yes, and…? You're supposed to bounce back after hardships." He said. "I mean, everybody is going to go through some tough times. It's all a matter of how they can get back up on their feet and go back to the world-"

"WELL THEN, WHY DIDN'T YOU!?" She shouted, much to the surprise of Ted and Luke. She started openly sobbing, and covered her face with her hands. Her father immediately got up from behind his desk, and went to her side, and gave her a big hug. Even her brother started patting her on the shoulder. After about minute of her sobbing into her father, she finally started to settle down.

"I mean, you were so happy and carefree," She continued. "But I don't even remember seeing that side of you anymore."

Ted loosened his grip on her, and looked her in the eyes. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"She means we don't see you really happy anymore." Luke had finally spoken up.

Penny and Ted both looked over at Luke. This was the first time in several hours that either of them had heard him speak.

"What are you talking about?" Ted questioned. "I mean, of course I'm still sad about your mother, but I'm not crying left and right over her every day anymore! I still have fun with you guys and my friends!"

"Yeah, but it always seems kind of forced." Penny interjected, wiping some residual tears out of her eyes. "Whenever you smile, it never really lights up your face or anything. I don't even remember seeing your smile reaching your eyes anymore."

"Me neither." Luke said. "The only time I see anything close to a real smile is when you're looking at that picture in your desk."

Ted looked down. Of course his own children, who he lived with, would have been able to see it in him. Even Marshall and Lily could see it whenever he and the kids went over to their house, and that wasn't even all that often anymore.

"Kids, I'm sorry." He said, looking back at his kids. "I just miss your mother so much..."

Penny and Luke softened their gazes at his breaking voice. Penny decided then was the best time to speak about something that had been bothering the both of them.

"Dad, we miss Mom, too." Penny said with tears falling. "But…"

She looked over at Luke, looking for reassurance. He nodded, and patted his sister on the shoulder for the second time that night. She closed her eyes, gathered her thoughts, opened them again, and continued.

"But we also miss our Dad."

Ted looked at his daughter with confusion in his eyes, and gestured for her to proceed.

Penny took a deep breath. "Before Mom died, you were always telling us about random buildings that we passed when we took walks, helping us with our homework, or playing with us, rain or shine. After she died, you just sort of… stopped being our Dad that we knew and loved. You barely take us on walks anymore, I can't even remember the last time you asked either of us about how school went, and…" She paused to take a breath. "And you haven't touched our umbrella in years."

"Dad," Luke added. "We're not saying you need to start being happy all the time. We don't expect you to totally get over Mom. God knows we're not. We just want you to stop being as sad all the time. We want our Dad back."

"Maybe," Penny finally said, as delicately as she could. "It's time to start moving on."

Ted looked at both of his children for a long minute. Both Penny and Luke were holding their breaths; what if they'd been too harsh? What if it was too soon for him? Eventually, Ted started speaking to the both of them.

"Kids, I will never stop loving your mother. Tracy Mosby was the best thing that ever happened to me. Even five years later, I still miss her so much. Sometimes, I don't even want to get out of bed in the morning, because the emptiness is too much to handle. You guys are the only thing that's kept me going for all these years." Ted said. Penny and Luke averted their eyes from their father's; so they had been too harsh.

"But… you're right."

They looked up to Ted again, and while he was crying, he had a sad smile on his face.

"You're right." He repeated. "I can't just go walking through life like a zombie. I can't just sit around, neglecting you guys. If your Mom saw me now, she'd probably be disappointed in me. And a slap to the face would probably be involved."

They all chuckled a bit at that attempt at humor. Penny wiped some more tears from her eyes, and she could have sworn that she saw Luke do the same thing.

"But she'd want us to try to get through this together, as a family, and that's what we're going to do." Ted continued. "Obviously, this won't happen overnight, but for now, I'll try to get better."

"We're in this together, Daddy." Penny said, using a name for Ted that she hadn't used since she was at least 9 years old. "We'll start being okay then, at least."

Luke nodded in agreement. Ted did the same, and they all stood up. As soon as his children had left the couch where they had been sitting for several hours, he enveloped them in the biggest hug that he could. They quickly responded, tears coming down both of their faces.

At last, after 5 hard years, they could start seeing traces of their father again.

* * *

"And I really did start being okay after that." Ted said. "I mean, it was more than a year before I even started dating again, but I started being a dad again fairly soon. I always tried to help them with their homework, we started going out to have dinner in public again, and I even started using your umbrella again."

Tracy nodded. "Well, I'm glad they were able to get you sorted out, considering I wasn't there to do it." She said with a prideful smile on her face. "And sweetie, you know I wouldn't slap you in the face just for that!"

They both laughed, and the sound of their laughter woke up the couple in the seats across the aisle from them. Ted and Tracy looked away from them sheepishly, still containing their giggles.

"So how much longer is this train?" Ted whined playfully. "New York feels so far away."

Tracy giggled some more, and cuddled up closer to her husband. "It should only be another half hour, sweetheart."

Ted reached his left arm around her, and held her shoulder, and held her hand with his other, and rested his head gently on hers.

"I can wait."

* * *

AN: So, funny thing: I was writing a long follow-up of sorts to "Let's Try This Again, Uninterrupted," and made a good amount of progress on it, and then my computer decided to delete the entire thing. So instead, I wrote this, which was something that had been on my mind for a couple of weeks.

I will get to rewriting the other story, although I am somewhat pissed that it got deleted.

Please review!


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